Critical minerals

Striking gold in critical minerals

Critical minerals are pivotal to clean energy, mobility, electronics, and defense technologies, but their supply chains are increasingly exposed to geopolitical, environmental, and economic risks. Navigating this complex landscape requires a sharp strategic edge.

ADI Analytics helps clients mine global critical minerals markets for opportunities, evaluate robust sourcing strategies, and support key investment decisions across the entire value chain, from extraction and processing to downstream applications.

The demand for critical minerals is surging

The energy transition and electrification of transportation, manufacturing, and infrastructure are rapidly increasing global demand for critical minerals. Materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, manganese, copper, and rare earth elements (REEs) power clean technologies including electric vehicle batteries, grid storage, wind turbines, and solar panels. Demand is also rising due to national security concerns and industrial policy incentives, prompting governments and companies to reshore supply chains and diversify resource access.

Supply chains face significant challenges

However, critical mineral supply chains remain highly concentrated and vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions, environmental scrutiny, and regulatory pressure. Most production is in a limited number of countries, leading to price volatility and resource insecurity. Additionally, many Western economies lack midstream processing infrastructure, hindering the creation of resilient and transparent supply chains.

New technologies are reshaping the landscape

Despite increased investment in mining and refining, long permitting timelines, ESG requirements, and technical risk continue to limit new supply. Simultaneously, emerging technologies such as advanced recycling, direct lithium extraction, and substitution strategies are beginning to reshape cost curves and long-term demand.

Strategic insight is crucial for navigating critical minerals

To respond effectively, governments, OEMs, miners, and investors must develop a clear view of critical mineral markets. This includes tracking price trends, regulatory shifts, emerging technologies, and sourcing risks that influence decisions across the global value chain.

How ADI helps

ADI Analytics supports stakeholders across the global critical minerals value chain. We help clients make informed decisions at every stage of strategy, investment, and policy planning:

• Market intelligence & forecasting including supply-demand modeling, cost and margin benchmarking, pricing outlooks, trade flow analysis, and regional resource mapping.
• Project evaluation & sourcing strategy covering feasibility studies, capital and operating cost analysis, scenario modeling, risk assessments, and end-to-end evaluation of mining, refining, and recycling projects.
• Technology assessment & innovation analysis involving review of extraction and processing technologies, evaluation of technology readiness, benchmarking of ESG performance, and analysis of circular economy and substitution impacts.
• Policy analysis & regulatory support including evaluation of industrial policies, incentives, permitting frameworks, and geopolitical risks to inform market entry and expansion decisions.
• Transaction support & investment diligence such as target screening, valuation modeling, commercial and technical due diligence, and preparation of independent market assessments for investors.